The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, January 17, 1900, Image 1
T
MK SUMTER WATCHMAN, Eatabliahed April. 1S50. "3e Just and Fear noe-Let all the Ends thou Aims't at, be thy Country's, thy God's and Truth's." THE TXUZ SOCTHKON, Established Jone I2n6
Consolidated Aag. 2,1881. . SUMTER. S. C.. WEDNESDAY. -JANUARY 17,1900. New Series-ToL XIX. So.25
%\t Staion ag? Santljro?i
Published Sircry Wednesday,
-BT
KT. C3r. O^teeiij
SUMTER, S. C.
TGR?5 :
?1.50 per annum-in advance.
A. D TB BT I 8 SHE SLT .
Ont Square first insertion.Si 00
Kverv subsequent insertion. 50
Contracts for three months, or iocger wil
be made at reduced rates.
All communications which subserve private
interests will be charged foras ad reniements.
Obituaries and tributes of respects will be
charged for.
GOVERNOR'S MESSAGE.
A Lengthy Document With?
out Striking Features.
SUPPORTS THE DISPENSARY
SYSTEM AND SUGGESTS
CERTAIN CHANGES.
The first messsage of Governor M.
B. MoSweeney, which was read io the
senate aod bouse of representatives
soon after they assembled oo Tuesday,
is quite a lengthy document, bat is
without a single striking feature
The introductory portion bas refer
ence to che death of Gov Eilerbe aod
the incumbent's succession to the office.
Then follows a review of the industrial
progress of the State during thc past
year rod the evidences of prosperity to
be observed oo every hand
R^ferriag to the fioaocia! condition
of the State he ss.ys : "The Ssate
treasurer has been able to meet all of
the obligations of the State promptly, !
and also the interest on toe public debt,
without the necessity or bavtn? to
borrow any money or to overdraw his
account, aod stiil has a balance io the
treasury."
The Legislature is asked to take
some action chat will lead to the settle
meot of tbe claims of the State against
the United States government and' tbe
claims of that government against the
Sute.
An appropriation of $100.000 is
recommended to provide pensioos for
seedy Confederate veterans
The legislature is appealed to to de
vise some means for securing a uniform
return ot property for taxation, but no
plao is suggested
The condition of the State's penal
ani charitable institutions is reviewed
and shown to be good.
The State colleges are reported io
healthy condition and doing excellent
work.
Toe portion dealing with the dispen?
sary is the most im por-a? t, and is as
follows :
There is no question -'bat will engage
your attention at this session that will
demand more careful rhougbt aod tu
which there i* more totere*' manifested
thao that cf the co troi of liquor. You
wiif oo doubt have several proportions
presented to you by different members
of your body for your consideration.
Ii is important that you should take j
hold of the question ie a po^rtve and
direct manoer aod meet ? he issac
squarely Under the Constitution ot
the State there are oaly three m ?des
allowed for dealing with this question, j
'The General Ars-.mbiy may license
persons or corporation to manufacturo
and sell and re'ail alcoholic i quor? o; I
beverages within the S *:e ur -the !
General Assembly may prohibit the |
manufacture and sale and retail vi,
alcoholic liqaors and beverages wi bin !
thc State or it ''may authorize anc j
emrower Siate .county and municipal !
officers, all or either, uc?er the authur j
ity aod io the oau.i- of tko Sra e. to i
buy io aoy market ard retaii within J
the State liqaors acd beverage* io such
packages and quantities, under MUCO
rules aod regulations as it eeems exp
d eat." And in no case shall it be *oid
?B less quantities than one half pint or
between sandown and sunrise, and i
shall not be drunk on tbe premises
Neither can the General Assembly
"delegate to any municipal corporation
the power to ?6SU9 beens-s to seil the
s?me " Under the last alternative the
dispensary law is io force At the
present time and io view of the era of
material progress and development
opon which the State bas entered I do
not believe it would be wi?e or good
business judgment to refer rhis question
to a popular eieotioc Not tbat there j
is aoy uneasiness or unwillingness to j
trust the people, bot it wooid have a !
teodeooy tn renew strife? and bitterness
and eogeoder bad feeling ard I believe !
would retard the progress o the Stare
io ita maieriai development. Much
of the prejuaice that bas heretofore
existed against the dispensary law has
been broken dowe and many of its
most bitter opponents have come to
realize its good features and are ready j
aod willing and anxious to see it
improved and enforced. With certain i
amendments which seem necessary,'
aod which will commend themselves to
your good judgment, and which should
be made at the present session, and
with the proper eDforcement of 'he law,
it is the best solution of the liquor j
(j'??<-tTOR yet devised Even r.?.?-e
oppose the dispon-irv ?'iw admit
ir. has ?rood feature* Whisk y
been p^r under the bao ::nd wh'
yea prohibit i?, license if. or tahe er
charge of ir. rh;? principie is the sa
I:- seems to nie that it vronld ne c
j'jQL'jneot to tahe hold of tho pre
law aod ameod and improve it. I
hibiti^n is very nice i? f h cory, ba
estsiiog circu:nstr.nc?s and conditio!
do not believe it woulc* be practica
Ex.nordioary maet^nerv woad
necessary to enforce it, acd there wc
be no means with which to employ
machioery except by additional ta
tioo, and even theo whiskey woutd
freely sold and bar rooms ender
guise of drug stores would spring
and flourish in every tovrc and baa
io South Caroiioa. Sucb bas been
experience wherever prohibici?n
beeo tried. Local option would
even worse than prohibition To h
prohibition io one county, a lice
system io an adjoining conoty, and
dispensary in another would create
end of confusion and trouble through
the State
No law has beeo enacted in t
State in recent years that has been
bitterly opposed and as strongly si
ported as the dispensary law. A
yet. with the exception of a few loc?
ti?s. it bas been as weil enforced
could be expected, being dotions
as it was. No law can be thoron?!
enforced that bas not behiod it and
support it a healthy public sentiment
irs favor Now that public Sintimi
is growing io its favor, it seems to
that it would be unwise and bad juc
tnent to repeal the dispensary law a
ro make trial of some other system
controlling the liquor business
That, there has beet) bad manat
ment io sonne departments is not
argument against the system Tl
fcbe*v should have been disagreemt
and contention amoogst those in cc
troi is unfortunate
I wo uld recommend for vour cc
sideranon the abolition of the State a
county boards of control and thar t
duties of these officers be devolved up
other officials You should elect
State commissioner of high characi
and good business judgment, and gi
bim sufficient compensation to coroma
the ppr vicos of such a mao He shoo
be given more authority and disoretio
and required to give a good and sui
cient bond and be subject to remov
by the governor. As the present ls
stands, be bas very little discretiona
power in the management of the bot
ness, and is not much more than
derk to earrv out the rules and regul
Hons of the board of control. As J
advisory board to the State commi
sioner I would suggest the oomptroil
general, the state treasurer and tl
stat? ?uperiotendent of education, wi
snob powers and duties as in your wi
dom you may think proper to conf
onon them. ? do not deem it wise
pu? the governor or the attorney get
eral upon this advisory b ?ard. Ye
tnigb* add io thi* board the chairman
I the So&riee committee of -"be senate ac
! the chairman of the ways and meat
committee of the bouse lt. would DI
I r>e noeessaay for this board to mei
mnre thin four 'iroes a year, and at eac
meeting competitive sealed bids could t
submitted a"d these b ds onened in tfc
presence of the commissioner, and sue
purchases made as would be needed !
supply the demacd Thc Stat
j frea?arer is the custodian of the fund?
j tho cr mptroUrr general distributes tb
i school part of the fund arising from th
dispe- s-iry and the State superintend
j ant of education is the head of th
; educarional department, which is th
b?- ^?-v?.rj of the food These officer
; :?r^ et?cred hy the people, and have t
I ?ive account to them for the manner ii
which thov discharge their duties, am
are alwayp CPD of ability and cbarac
.er ?
I* piace of the county boards
would suggest that the county super
visor the county auditor and th
mayor of ib3 couoty seat town, if ?
dispensary bo located there, if not tb<
mayor or intendant of some town ii
the county in which there is a dispon
sary. constitute the oouoty board, anc
j thai, they ~?rve without extra compeo
safion Ti ey. too, are eleoted by the
peopie and would have to give account
?f tfa?*?r stewardship to the people 1
would also suggest that the county
dispenses be elected by the people a?
>tber 0'>unty rffioers are elected and for
a term ot two years.
These changes are suggested nol
only because in my judgment they
would improve the administration ol
*he law, but on the grouod of economv,
[ regret that I have not the figures for
the last fiscal year. They could not be
obtained on account, of the assembling
of the legislature coming so near to the
olose of the fiscal year.
The figures, however, will not be
materially different from those for the
fiscal year 1898, so far as the county
hoards are concerned, but the cost of th*"
S'ate boi>rd will undoubtedly be very
much increased. In this year the
to al co?t of the county board* was
$9,724 2'? For the same year the
cost of the State board of control was
$4,390 Ol. whtob makes a total of
$14 144 21 as the cost of the State
and county boards of control, and
j which cv io-ir abolition weald be ? ur L? -
' ed i; t'? the proS-* cf the dispensary.
I would sis? saggest fha? tbs ia?? he
so amended as to br ia-;: violations s? nh
. io the j at i sd ?ctico or the magistrares,
so that ai! cases miga? be promptly
? cl summarily ".r'y.ul'uy^ei.
; Soon after I came into office I re?
duced the constabulary force nearly
one half, and endeavored as far as I
j knew and could secure information ti)
i select rx.en ot character and discre
i.tion to perform the duties of State
j constables As public sentiment
' grows in favor of the law, and rnagis
i trates and other constables and otner
officers realize that it ia as much their
duty to enforce this law as any other
law, I an} satisfied thal the force can
be still further reduced and finally
entirely abolished
Dunno: the past year I issued a
circular letter to all the magistrates
and sherifi? of the State, and the
mayors and intendants of the incor
porated cities and towns, calling
their attention to the fact that the
dispensary law was much a law of
the State as any other law, and also
directing their attention to their duty
to enforce it just as they would the
statute against larceny or any other
crime, and asking their aid aod co
operation in the wise and humane
execution of ali laws The responses
were numerous aod unanimous io
expressions of hearty co operation
Some of them were frank enough to
6ay that they bsd been, and were,
opposed to the dispensary law, but
manly enoungh to acknowledge it as
a law of the State, and to pledge
their support and co operation in ??s
proper enforcement I am satisfied
that this circular has resulted io
good, and that in many of the cities
and towns the local authorities are
doing what they can to apprehend
violators, and that there are fewer
violations of the dispensary law
than of many other laws now on the
statute books.
Mr W W. Harris, who is clerk,
and is in charge of this department,
under my direction, in his report to
me says : "There is less complaint
of the illicit traille in liquor coming
to his office from throughout the
State than ever before during the five
years I have been connected with
this department, and it is very
evident that there is less violation of
the dispensary law over the entire
State, with tbe possible excep?
tion of the city of Charleston and two
or three of the counties in the
northwestern portion of the State,
and it is probtble that even in those
sections there has been improve
ment." I submit herewith a table
j showing the comparative cost and
the work done hy the reduced num?
ber of constables for the last six
months of 1899 and the correspond
ingsix months of 1898 It will be
seen that RO far as the work done, the
number of seizures is about the same
while there has been a saving for the
?six months of l899 over the same
six months of 1898 of $8/238 60 in
the one item.
1898
Nom To?al cost
ber Con- of Con- No. of
Month stables stabular^ seizures
Jo?v 52 $3.596 25 97
Aug 53 3 T30 27 82
Sep v 56 3 829 96 99
Oct 54 4.140 GO 193
Nov. 53 3 841 75 167
Dec 62 4 734 94 244
Total $23,973 77 $82
1899.
Num Total cost
ber Con of Con- No. of
j Month stables stabuiary seizures
July 34 $2,696 35 72
Aug 34 2 667 27 70
SeDt. 33 2,581 47 122
Oct 33 2,587 29 133
Nov 32 2 582 53 109
Dec 32 2,519 08 167
$15 634 89 673
These figures include the cost o?
buggy hire, railroad fare for the con
stables and the salary of the clerk to
the governor
I am giad to be able to state that
during my term of office, with but
one exception, there ha9 been no
conflict between the constables and
citizens, and in this exception one
constable was killed and another
wounded and one citizen was killed.
Thia unfortunate trouble cannot any
more be charged to the dispensary
law than could a similar difficulty in
the enforcement of any other law be
argued against it
The annual report of the State
board of control for the fiscal year
ending December 31. 1899, will be
submitted for your information as
soon ae it can be made up. As al
I ready stated, the fiscal year ending
j so near the assembling of the legisla
j ture, it was impossible to obtain in
I formation showing the business and
j condition in time for my message. I
? am informed, however, that the profits
I will be much larger than in any pre
j vions year since the enactment of the
j dispensary law This does not neces
I earily mean that the consumption of
whiskey has increased, but rather it
argues that less whiskey has been
: snipped in the State for personal use
and the blind tigers have decreased
: and much of the * prej nu ;<*.": .i?;-.i:-:t the
. dispensary law i;'; longer exis?3
i bave received from ihn comp
j ?ro?ler g?nerai the following state
j mont of receipts and disbutsi-nients
I on accouut of fhn special State dis?
; peneary school fund for 1SOS-99 :
Received from S'a*e dis
; pensary, 1898-99 $130,000 00
j Disbursed to the several
j counties under act
I 1898 $07,204 35
j Disbursed deficiency sev?
eral counties under act.
1899 $9,338 02
Disbursed surplus sev?
eral counties underact
1899 43,457 53-130,000 00
I am sure that you will be guided
by a wise discretion and exercise
good business judgment in dealing
with this subject and I trust that
whatever action you may take will
redound to the good of the State
An appropriation of $10,000 to erect
monuments to South Carolina troops at
Cbicfeamauga is recommended.
The work of the State Board of
Health is reviewed and a lib?rai appro?
priation is recommended.
The prosecution of the olaims against
the United States government for cap
lured property sold duriog the war is
recommended
Suicide of Naval Officer.
Washington, Jan ll -The follow
ing cablegram was received at the navy
department today from Admiral Schley:
"Montevideo, Jan ll, 1900.
"To the Secretary of Navy :
"Lieut Commander F. E Green
committed suicide Wednesday evening.
Arrangements have been made for
burial arbore. A board is ordered to
examine the circumstance of the cac-e
and report."
No cause is suggested Dy friends here
and he bas an excellent record
Ftancis E Green was born io
Indiana aod was appoioted a midship
man io 1867 He graduated io 1871
Wheo the war broke out be became the
executive officer of the Moutgomery
He became a lieutenant commander io
1899. aod was again ordered to the
Montgomery on the South Atlantic
station, where he was serving at the
time of his death
Friends Will Not Figbt For a
Few Sacks of Flour.
Washington, Jan ll -The answer
of the British government io Mr.
Choate's representation respecting the
saibores of American fbur and other
goods on the three vessels Beatrice,
Maehona and Maria has been received.
Just as the officials of the state depart
men: expected, it amounted to a partial
answer, very satisfactory, as far as it
goes, disposiog of the character of
>cme of ?he goods seized, but no
finaiiv deciding broadly whether or not
.'oodstuffs are to be regarded as cootra
bind. The British government adopt
ec precisely the point of view regarding
the seized goods that was assumed by
thc state department and embodied by
Mr Choate m his note oo the subject
addiessed to the British foreign of?ce.
In brief, Mr Choate reports as fol?
low : That the answer is highly sat?
isfactory that it is broad and liberal in
term--. The position assumed by the
British government is that food stuff
i?i uan>it to a hostile dessication can
be re/arded as contraband of war oniy
when thev are supplies for tne enemy'-;
forces It is nor suffi.tiot.-t that they
are o^pab e of being used for the ben
' efit or toe enemy ; it must bs shown
that they are so in fact through their
destination at the time of the seizure.
The Britisn government does not claim
that any of the Amerioan goods on the
German batk Maria, and the British
bark Masbona were contraband of war.
The British government is investigating
. the faots in connection with the goods
seiz?? un the third vessel, the Beatrice.
Russia Showing Her Haud.
Vancouver, B C , Jan ll -Tbe di
gest of opinions of the principal Chi?
nese and Japanese papers as received
today by tbe steamer Empress of the
Japan, 30 days from Yokohama, in?
dicate that Russia is unmistakably
revealing ber intentions in the far
east The China Gazette says that,
taking advantage of England's press
mg engagements in South Africa, the
Russian government, through its
consul at Hankow, has revived its
claim to the Jardine-Matheson land
making a demand for the property in
the most peremptory fashion The
Russian consul claims that the ques
tion of the disputed owenrship of the
land has been absolutely decided in
favor of his government and he an
nounced his intention tc take forciole
possession of the property without
further negotiations Hi* actions are
said to have been extiemely high
! handed The relations between the
British and Russian residents are
strained to the breaking point
Twenty-six cotton mills were built
in Mexico last year.
?SAID SHE CHOKED
j HIM TO DEATH
Wife cf MeSwain Atta wai
Makes Wi!d3 Statements
Concerning His Death.
I -
There seems to be pad circumstance
. hat cluster around the recent sudde
death of Rrv MeSwain Attaway i:
Pic'?eos on the 8'h inst
He died at 2 o'clock in the morning
and it is sa;d that no one except bl
wife was io the room at the time.
?t is known that Mr Attaway and bi
wife were inmates of the asylum severa
years ago but they did not remain !oo?
and it was thought that a permaoer;
cure bad been affected. Mrs Attawa;
now makes the statement, so it is said
that she choked her husband to death
Friend; think she is unbalance*
mentally A coroner's irquest wa:
held over the body of Mr Attaway ot
account of the self accusation of bi
wife Tbe verdict was that "McSwait
Attaway came to his death from bear
failure, caused from a fit
Mr Attaway was subject; to fits ant
on the night of bis death it is said J
bitter quarrel took place between tb<
minister and his wife At the coroner'i
inquest no evideoce was brought out tc
show that any violence bad beeD used
Mr Attaway was a member of th?
Methodist conference and is connect?e
with one of the best families in th?
county -Andersoo Mail
Rev. Mr. Attaway Died
a Manie
Corooer Jones, of Picken s county,
who was here yesterday, gave an
account of the sad and tragic death o!
the Rev A. MeSwain Attaway, a
prominent young Methodist minister,
who is a brother to the Rev Mr Atta
way, of Traveler's Rest, and son ef the
Rev John Attaway, of Yv illiamston
His death occurred at bis borne, sis
miles west of Piokeos, oo Thursday,
and was caused by heart failure soper
induced by a violent attaok of insanity
It is thought that be lost bis mind by
reason of the death about ten days agc
of a son. Mrs Attaway is now also
insare and is being guarded. Bott
nave been treated iu the State Hospita!
for the Io8aoe.
Mr Atta way's death was attended by
narrowing circumstances. First be
went, into the yard aod killed his favor
ite dog by cutting its head off with an
ax. Next be killed a bog in tbe same
way Then be went into tbe bouse
aod lay dowo. Suddenly he was
seized with a spasm and jumped out ol
bed aod bpgan so destroy tbe furniture
Then he seized his wife's clothing near
her neck between bis teeth, in her
terror she told her daughter to kili him
j The daughter had a carving knife in
j her haod.
'"Get bim rff/' the mother screamed
to the cb:!d. frantic with fright, "cut
bis throat with thc knife ; it is neoes
sarv ; if you don't bc will kill me and
all of you "
. OJ, no ; mamma." replied the
daughter, exhibiting remarkable cour
age and presence of mind ; "ibat
needn't be done. ''Til just cut the
pieze of dress loose bc has io his
month "
This was done and immediately the
j sufTeriog man fell and died.
Mrs Attaway rjeeame violently insane
in a short time The coroner though:
beti*, io the circumstances, 'o hold an
inquest A verdict of death from "na'
U'al causes was rendered -Greenville
Nt. ws
Manila, Jan ll -C"l Billiard with
thc Thirty ninth infantry moving ic
three columns from Ca?amb?, with two
guns, attacked 10 companies of icsur
gents strongly entrenched on the Santa
Tomas road They resisted stubbornly,
making three stands Twenty four
of the rebels were killed ai-.d 60 prison
era were taken The Filipinos retreat
ed, carrying their wounded toward
Like Taal. One American was killed
at d two cmcers were slightly wounded
Two 6 iocb bronze Spanish cannon
formerly a part of tbe defenses 3t Fort
San Felipe. Manila, have been present?
ed to Atlanta to be used at the base of
the monument to be erected to the
memory of the late Lieut Brumby by
the people of Georgia
Victoria, B 0 , Jan ll -Advices
by the steamship Empress of Japan tell
ol a fierce storm sweeping the Japanese
coast oo D^c 24, by which 35 junks
were lost while being towed fro u Osaka
t> Kobe and 171 persona perished. A
ti lal wave accompanied the storm, by
which 411 lives io all were lost
The Sanie O?d Question.
Even Cato and Scipio Dis?
cussed wnen the Cent- -
uries Began,
Ic the rear 600 aod COI A ?. C.,
or AODO Urbis Condirae-that is, sf?er
the baildicg cf Rome, or 154 aod 153
B. C., says the B?itimo9e Sun, the
question was discussed io Rome whether
600 or 601 was the beginning of the
seventh century after the founding of
Rome
While, as io our days, the standing
question in the capital of the Romans
was "Quid Dovi ex Africa?" (What
is the news from Africa ?) a third war
with che Republic of Carthage seeming
imminent, Cato, the elder* Scipic; the
younger, and other prominent men of
the day, found time for the discussion
of the century question aod disagreed.
Some beid that 600. others that 601.
was the first year of the new century of
old Rome.
So Caipuroius Piso, tbe Roman anal
ist, tells us io his records. He after?
ward, io 148 B C , commanded the
Roman legions io Africa against Car?
thage, which, two years later, suc?
cumbed to Scipio Africanos, by whom
it waa destroyed
No donbt hardly a century passed
after the times of Charles the Great
(Charlemagne) in wbiob the oenturial
commencement problem did PO; agitate
the minds. This was especially the
case io Italy in the thirteenth and four?
teenth centuries
In the year 1600 there was such a
bot discussion on the Question in ?Ger
*
many that a medal was struck in com?
memoration of it. with ihe German in
soriptioo, which, in English version, is.
On, wonder of wonders, mau counts
sixteen hundred, and still be ponders
how old he may be "
Toward the end of 1799 the same
dispute arose io ihe Fatherland and the
discussion was especially bot at Weimar,
at that time the centre of German cul?
ture There were two opposing par?
ties, called, r spectiTely, tho ' Nioety
niDers'' and '.Haod^eders,,, accordion
to their believing either 1799 or 1800
j to be the last of tbe eighteenth century.
Goethe and Schiller, as may be seen
from their letters, at first siding with
the * 'Ninety niners,'* finally were con?
verted to join the 4'Hu* dreders," bot
oot without first having celebrated,
over a bowl of champagne, the close of
the eighteenth century or December 31,
1799, and again celebrating in the
same way the beginning of the nine?
teenth century oo January 1, 1801.
Denre3t friend. U there no refoge
To be found for liberty aod pence?.
Advance of tbe Plague.
Washington, Jan 12 -The state
department, bas been informed by Mr
Heyward, Uoited S'stes agent at Hon?
olulu, under date of Jan I, that tight
deaths have occurred from the fcubonio
plague at Honolo u since the last
1 telegraphic report, Dec 26. last, which
announced three deaths from that
cause Mr Heyward also states that
the entire city of Honolulu is io quar?
antine.
DYING LIKE SHEEP IN
BOMBAY.
Bombay, Jan 12 -The number of
deaths here, largely from the bubonic
pUgus, jumped up trday from 2S2 to
376. The normal death rate is 75
PARAGUAY TAKING PRECAU?
TIONS.
Assumption, Paraguay, Jan 12 -
The health authorities have declared
plague infected ail vessels which have
left suspected ports within ten days
prior to Jao ll.
St John's, N. F.. Jan 13. 1 a. m -
The wrecked and burning bali in St
Mary's bay of an unknown two-masted
steamer with its crew of probably 60,
and perhaps some passengers, ail per?
ishing, is one of the worst marine
disasters io this section for a consider*
able period. There is Dot the slightest
prospect that any soul aboard escaped
death, as the intense mid winter cold
would kill aoy who escaped drowning.
The iii fated vessel was of Dearly 3,000
tons burden. She went ashore before
daybreak Thursday, striking a ledge at
the foot of the cliff, where escape was
hopeless. The crew launched the
boats, but probably during the paoie
some were crushed against her sides,
thers being swamped, and al! the
occupants apparently perishing
ABSOLUTEtV PURE
Makes the food more delicious and wholesome
_POY*L BAKmo powoea co., HEW YOWL_